New Addition!

Hadley made it! She was born June 10th, just three days before her due date, at 5:21 am. It was a LONG night! She was 7 lbs 10 oz. and 20.5 inches long and she is the most beautiful baby I've ever seen (but I'm probably a little biased). I stuck to the plan and did it natural, although there was a time when I was like "Ah, I can't do this!" but my Aunt Penny (my doula) got there just in time and helped me breathe through a few contractions and try different positions and that helped so much! and I made everyone remind me why I wanted to do it natural and then after that I didn't think about it again. I'm so glad I did it, even though it was hard and I had to push for over four hours. The beginning went really fast, I was already dilated to a 5 and a half when I got there and was to a 10 just about three hours later (I kept asking "how much longer" but time is irrelevant when in labor, I had no idea how much time had passed and suddenly it was light outside and she still wasn't here and I was exhausted!). The last part was definitely the hardest. I just kept thinking, she's almost here, maybe after the next push. But then she would never come. I was so tired and kept thinking that I just wanted to curl up in my blankie and sleep, but afterward the adrenaline kicks in and I couldn't sleep the whole next day. It was a good thing that everyone came to visit that first day. Jake was tired but I was wide awake. I couldn't sleep even when I tried.

Here are the reasons I am so glad I stuck with the plan and did it natural...

Bonding- we got through it together

Empowerment- now I feel like I can do anything

Next time will probably be faster and easier than this one was

The experience- women have been doing it since the beginning of time, why couldn't I?

They say the recovery is better but I don't know since I haven't tried with the epidural

It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do and probably will ever have to do and now I have it behind me.